BTM236 – Chris Jachemic – Suicide Prevention and MCON
About Today’s Guest
Chris Jachimiec devoted 20 years to the United States Air Force, serving in critical leadership roles throughout his career. A veteran of Operation Southern Watch and the war in Afghanistan, he spent over 15 years stationed in Las Vegas, where he shaped the next generation of Airmen through mentorship and operational excellence. His dedication earned him three Meritorious Service Medals, three Air Force Commendation Medals, and the Air Force Achievement Medal, among numerous other accolades. He was also recognized as Air Combat Command First Sergeant of the Year (2016), the United States Air Force Warfare Center NCO of the Year (2012) and was a Distinguished Graduate at every level of Air Force Professional Military Education, demonstrating his leadership at the highest levels.
After his medical retirement in 2020, Chris transformed personal adversity into a mission of advocacy and support for fellow service members. Following the tragic loss of his brother, a Marine veteran, to suicide in 2017, he dedicated himself to mental health awareness and suicide prevention. As a distinguished member of both the Governor’s and Mayor’s Suicide Prevention Challenge teams, he works to create real change in veteran mental health initiatives. His commitment to this cause also led him to work with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), providing compassionate support to military families dealing with loss. His advocacy reached a national audience through his participation in the Ad Council’s "Service Never Stops" campaign, which promotes responsible firearm storage as a means of suicide prevention. Chris currently provides lived experience and subject matter expert support to a Department of Veteran’s Affairs led suicide prevention pilot program.
Beyond his advocacy, Chris is also a champion in adaptive sports, competing in the 2022 Department of Defense Warrior Games, where he claimed multiple gold medals. His resilience, both physically and mentally, embodies the spirit of perseverance. Whether leading on the battlefield, mentoring fellow veterans, or competing as an athlete, Chris continues to demonstrate that service extends far beyond active duty; it is a lifelong commitment to supporting others and strengthening the veteran community.
PsychArmor Resource of the Week
This week’s PsychArmor Resource of the Week is a recently released episode as part of our MCON Series, episode 235 with Marine Corps veteran Melissa Hawkins. Melissa is a member of the board of advisors of MCON, and shares her perspective on the event. You can find the resource here: https://psycharmor.org/podcast/melissa-hawkins
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Theme Music
Our theme music Don’t Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.
This Episode Sponsored By:
This episode is sponsored by PsychArmor, the premier education and learning ecosystem specializing in military culture content. PsychArmor offers an online e-learning laboratory with custom training options for organizations.
Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families. You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com
